Quality Tier I Literacy Instruction in the Primary Grades

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A 2021 HELP Distinguished Scholar, Dr. Nell K. Duke is a professor in literacy, language, and culture in the School of Education and also in the combined program in education and psychology at the University of Michigan. Her work focuses on early literacy development, particularly among children living in economic poverty. She has served as Co-Principal Investigator of projects funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, and other organizations. In 2018 Duke received the International Literacy Association’s William S. Gray Citation of Merit for outstanding contributions to research, theory, practice, and policy.

High-quality Tier I literacy instruction is crucial to well-functioning literacy education. We cannot fully compensate for poor-quality Tier I instruction through Tier II and Tier III intervention. In this presentation, Duke will identify some markers of high-quality Tier I literacy instruction, discuss some common missteps, and include examples of how education stakeholders beyond classroom teachers can help to positively impact the quality of literacy instruction in Tier I.

For more information about Duke’s work, see nellkduke.org and follow her on Twitter: @nellkduke. Click here to see a recent article,  "Phonics Faux Pas," co-authored with Heidi Anne E. Mesmer, on the American Federation of Teachers website.